Till the very end
by bookwormbelle91
Summary: One shot-Takes place a few months after TS3 Woody can't sleep due to nightmares of a certain incident. Buzz is concerned about him and tries to help him. Sorry, bad summary. Enjoy!


***New Story! So this is a quick little one shot. Kind of how Woody handled the aftermath of the incinerator. Tell me what you think!***

Woody woke with a start for the seventh time, gasping. He couldn't wrap his head around this. The incident happened a month ago. He was surrounded by his family and new friends, and was once again with an amazing girl named Bonnie. So why was he still waking up in the middle of the night? Looking up at the sleeping girl lying next to him, he slowly crept out from under her arms and made his way to the end of the bed, making sure not to disturb the others. Once he got to the bedpost, he climbed down and ran to the bedroom door. From the play table, a certain red-haired cowgirl watched as her brother crept out of the room. She nudged the sleeping space ranger beside her, waking him up.

"Huh, what is it? What's wrong, Jessie?" Buzz asked.

"Woody left again." Jessie said sadly.

"Oh man, not again."

"You have to talk to him, Buzz."

"I know, but what do I say to him?"

"Anything, something, or even don't talk. Let him talk." She sighed. "This can't go on anymore; I'm really starting to worry about him."

"I am too. Okay, I'll try anything. Are you coming with me?"

"Not yet, I'll check on you guys later. You go on." Buzz nodded and jumped down from the table. He opened the door slightly and walked out into the dark hallway passed Bonnie's parent's room. Walking into the living room, he looked around for his cowboy friend, but didn't see him anywhere. He was about to go look in the kitchen when he heard soft crying coming from the window. Taking hold of the fake potted plant on the side, he climbed up onto the ledge and saw Woody sitting in the corner with his forehead resting on his crossed arms. Buzz sighed, for he hated seeing his friend upset. Silently, he made his way across the ledge.

-

Woody sobbed hard; he couldn't understand why he was having nightmares when he knew his family was safe. Lifting his head, he looked out the window at the moon and sighed.

"Please, make them stop. He whispered. Please. I can't keep..."

"Woody?" The cowboy jumped and turned. Buzz was standing a few inches from him. He wiped his face of the non-existent tears and faked a smile.

"Buzz, hey. What, what are you doing up?"

"Are you alright, Woody?" Buzz asked, changing the subject.

"Me? Yeah, yeah I'm fine, I'm good. Why would I not be?" Buzz came over to him and Woody moved over to let him sit. Buzz looked at him.

"Sheriff, I think I've known you long enough to know when you're lying." Woody looked at him and his fake smile disappeared. He knew nothing gets past the space ranger. "You've been having nightmares about the incinerator, haven't you?" Woody turned away.

"What makes you say that?"

"I hear you. In fact, I've heard you every night for the last two weeks, Woody, screaming, gasping, crying out for help. I'm really starting to worry about you, pal." The cowboy pulled his knees to his chest.

"They're just senseless dreams." Woody mumbled.

_He was further down the slope, his feet almost touching the flames. Grabbing anything he could, he tried to climb back to his friends. Buzz was reaching for him, Jessie holding onto the space ranger's hand. Woody reached up, his fingers just grazing Buzz's when the flames pulled his legs. It hurt so much. He hissed as the fire singed his clothing and melted his skin. _

_"Woody!" Buzz called out, but all Woody saw was fire._

Woody shivered as the memory of the dream flooded his head. His hands curled into tight fists and his eyes were tightly closed. Buzz reached over and squeezed his shoulder.

"They don't seem like silly dreams, Woody. I know they are more than that. Talk to me, please. You know you can tell me anything, right?" The cowboy didn't look at him, but he opened his eyes and focused them on his hands.

"I see them, the flames, every time I close my eyes. Woody said. I can feel them burning my clothes and melting my skin. It feels so real, and I try to tell myself it isn't, but..."

"Is it the same nightmare every time?" Woody sniffed and shook his head.

"No, but most of them are. I'm always further down than the rest of you. I try to climb up and take your hand, but every time I do, the slope slides me down to where the flames take me. Other times, I try to climb up and you don't even try to help me. You just stare at me."

"Woody, there will never be a moment where we wouldn't help you, you know that."

"Would you ever leave me?"

"When have we ever left you?"

"The worst one I had was where you guys were able to get out. I called out to you to wait for me and help me, and..."

"Go on, buddy." Woody held his knees to his chest again, shaking as he started crying.

"You, you left me there to die."

"Wait, what?"

"I was climbing and calling out to all of you, and, you just ignored me. The, the only one who wanted to go back was Jessie. She, she begged you to go back, but you refused. She said 'You're his best friend, Buzz, why wouldn't you go back for him?' Then, I heard you say one of the worst things you could ever say."

"Which was?" Woody took a deep breath in through his nose.

"'Why should I go back for someone who turned his back on us? He betrayed our family, and he betrayed our friendship. He deserves to left behind.' And then you just walked away, just like that." Buzz's mouth dropped as the cowboy broke down. He couldn't believe Woody had dreamed about him saying something like that. Reaching over, he pulled Woody towards him and hugged him. The sheriff was stunned, but wrapped his arms around Buzz, crying.

"Don't you ever, ever think for one second that I would say anything like that to you." Buzz said, his voice shaking. "You could never betray my friendship and if you ever did, you'd find every way to fix it. You are my best friend, and you will always be my best friend. I would never leave you behind, not in a million years." Woody hugged him again and then pushed away.

"That's why that one was the worst. My heart knew that you would never say that, but my mind made it happen. One of the worst things you could ever say to me is that we aren't friends anymore."

"That will never happen, cowboy." They sat apart, looking out at the window again. "Just out of curiosity, when did that nightmare happen?"

"It was the first one, the one that sparked the rest of them."

"Whoa, whoa, back up. That one was the first? Why, why didn't you say anything? Wh, why didn't you tell me when it happened, why didn't you tell Jessie or the others?"

"I thought they would go away on their own. I wished and prayed every night, but they just wouldn't go away. I couldn't bring myself to tell anyone. I mean who wants to hear that their friend and leader is a coward?" Woody stood up and leaned against the window. Buzz gasped, got up, balled up his fist, and punched him right in the shoulder.

"AH! What the…ow! What was that for?"

"That's for calling yourself a coward! Buzz said pointing at him. You, Sheriff Woody Pride are no coward. Would a coward go down to a yard sale to save another toy, or jump off a moving plane to save their sister? Would a coward threaten a teenage boy in order to stop him from blowing up his best friend? No, but you know who would? You would, Woody, and you have. Why you even came back to Sunnyside when you knew we were in danger and stood up to Lotso. For the last few years, you have done all you could to make sure this family stayed together. You gave up going to college with Andy to be with us, because you knew that's where you needed to be. You are the bravest and most loyal toy I know. These nightmares don't make you less of a leader and they sure as heck don't make you a coward." Woody gave him the biggest smile the space ranger had seen all night.

"Thank you, Buzz."

"Hey, are you guys alright up here?" The boys turned and saw Jessie climbing up.

"Hey Jess, yeah we're good. Just give us two more minutes." Buzz said. Jessie smiled and climbed back down. "Look buddy, this incident affected all of us, and yes, we all got over it, but that doesn't mean you have to just yet. It also means you don't have to go through this alone. Jessie, the others and I will help you through this. So the next time you have another nightmare, please do not push it aside, tell us. We're a family; we'll help you till the very end."

"Copy that, space ranger." The sun began to peak over the horizon, making the two toys look up. They climbed down from the window and walked back to Bonnie's room where Jessie was waiting. Woody smiled at her and hugged her, taking her by surprise.

"Thank you, Jess." He said. Jessie pulled him close, hugging him back.

"You're welcome, brother." They pulled away and Woody went back up to the bed beside Bonnie.

"He'll be alright, Jess." Buzz said.

"I know he will. Nice job, space cadet." They kissed and went back up onto the dresser. Jessie lay down by the window and Buzz went to join her, but took one more look up at the bed. He saw Woody curled under the covers, sleeping soundly. Buzz smiled, he hoped this was the end of his friend's nightmares, but if it wasn't, he would be there for Woody, till the very end.


End file.
